BONTOC, Mt. Province (9 October) -- Level of health consciousness among the villagers was raised with the adoption of widely accepted technology on Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

Trained local farmers now realized that IPM offers practical technology, guarantees lesser farm inputs, more family income and pesticide- free agricultural products promoting good health for the consuming public.

IPM- Farmers Field Schools (FFS)provincial coordinator Mary Buanzi disclosed that since 1993 following the 'cyanide scare', about 2,750 farmers graduated from various FFS established in almost all of the barangays of the province.

The IPM advocated for the minimized use of chemicals and the adoption of natural or environmental-friendly measures in preventing the incidence of major pests. The farmers were taught on practical technology, and not depending much on pesticides and inorganic fertilizers in growing their vegetables.

With the introduction of the safest biological method in eliminating the destructive insect known as diamond back moth, local farmers discovered no need for spending much for commercial pesticides. At the same time, their products are free from chemicals which may be hazardous to health.

With the newly acquired skills in the proper application of the soil testing kit, the farmers doing analysis in their farmlands can easily determine the exact measurement or quantity of needed fertilizers. Local farmers also learned how to make compost or organic fertilizers.